1. Field of the Invention
This invention lies in the field of electrophoresis in slab-shaped gels, and particularly in the methods and types of apparatus used for casting slab-shaped gels from a liquid gel-forming solution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrophoresis in slab gels is widely used for separating and analyzing mixtures of chemical species, and particularly mixtures of complex species such as proteins, polypeptides, nucleic acids and oligonucleotides. Slab gels permit the simultaneous analysis of multiple samples as well as the inclusion of standards to facilitate the identification of the species. Once the separation has been performed, a slab gel is easily removed from its enclosure and readily stained for detection and analysis.
Electrophoresis gels are prepared by polymerization of monomers in liquid solutions. Some of the largest sources of operator error and loss of time in the laboratory with slab gel electrophoresis are in the preparation stages of the gel and particularly in the casting procedure. With many types of apparatus, it often difficult to achieve proper alignment and assembly of the parts in a leak-proof manner without damage or breakage. The procedure requires time-consuming care, particularly when performed by those who are inexperienced. The present invention seeks to address these difficulties.